The QUARTZ ERASMUS+ Project is inviting proposals from highly qualified and experienced professionals to serve as the External Evaluator for our innovative and transformative educational initiative. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a project aimed at enhancing quality, accessibility, and innovation in higher education across Europe and beyond.

  Project Background

 QUARTZ ERASMUS+ is a European Union-funded project under the ERASMUS+ program. The Project aims at promoting synergy between HEIs and the labor market in Uzbekistan by improving the perceived quality of the four dimensions of the university: teaching, research, third mission/social

engagement and institutional environment. Project contributes to the comprehensive improvement of the quality assurance systems of universities in Uzbekistan through the development of procedures, tools, human resources and continuous professional development based on EU best practices.

Specific objectives are:

To identify the managerial, administrative and educational gaps that can contribute to the quality assurance, digital literacy and skills in Uzbekistan. This goal will be achieved through the analysis of best practices in EU partner universities.To equip management, academic and administrative staff with skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to achieve continuous quality enhancement by organizing staff development courses.

To develop QA strategy ensuring competitiveness and social cohesion.

To reform and modernize the university governance, including the reformation and strengthening of quality assurance units and promoting digital literacy and skills.

To ensure inter-university interaction through the creation and support of the

Quality Assurance Network.

The project involves a consortium of universities from Uzbekistan, Italy and Bulgaria working collaboratively to achieve these goals.

Scope of Work

The External Evaluator will play a critical role in ensuring the project’s success by providing independent, objective, and comprehensive evaluations of its progress, outcomes, and impact. The key responsibilities include:

1.      Develop an Evaluation Framework:

Design a robust evaluation framework aligned with the project’s objectives, ERASMUS+ guidelines, and EU quality standards. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and benchmarks to measure progress and impact.

2.      Conduct Assessments:

Perform both qualitative and quantitative assessments of project activities, outputs, and outcomes.  Evaluate the effectiveness of curriculum development, capacity-building initiatives, and international cooperation efforts. Assess the project’s impact on students, educators, and participating institutions.

3.      Monitor Progress:

  Provide regular progress reports, including mid-term and final evaluations.Track the achievement of project milestones and deliverables.

4.      Provide Recommendations:

Offer actionable recommendations to improve project implementation and outcomes.Suggest strategies for sustainability and scalability of project results.

5.      Stakeholder Engagement:

Collaborate with project coordinators, partners, and stakeholders to gather feedback and insights.

Present evaluation findings to the project consortium and funding bodies as required.

Deliverables

The External Evaluator will be expected to deliver the following:

1.      Inception Report: Outline the evaluation methodology, framework, and timeline. The inception report is expected to be presented to project partners at the nearest possible project event.

2.      Mid-Term Evaluation Report: Assess progress against objectives and provide interim recommendations. This report should be presented in the 20th month of the project activities.3.      Final Evaluation Report: Comprehensive analysis of project outcomes, impact, and lessons learned. This report should be prepared and submitted at least one month prior to the final conference.

4.      Presentation of Findings: A summary presentation to the project consortium and stakeholders.

Eligibility Criteria

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience:

 1.      Professional Experience:

Minimum  of  5  years  of  experience  in  evaluating educational  projects, preferably in higher education.

Proven track record of evaluating EU-funded projects, particularly under the ERASMUS+ program.

2.      Technical Expertise:

Strong knowledge of qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods. Familiarity with EU policies, ERASMUS+ guidelines, and quality assurance frameworks in higher education, as well as national legislation.

3.      Analytical and Reporting Skills:

Ability to analyze complex data and present findings in a clear, concise, and actionable manner.Experience in drafting high-quality evaluation reports for diverse audiences.

4.      Communication and Interpersonal Skills:

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (additional European languages are an asset).

Ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, including project partners, educators, and students.

5.      Independence and Objectivity:

Demonstrated  ability  to  maintain  impartiality  and  provide  unbiased evaluations.

Application Process

Interested candidates are invited to submit their proposals, which should include the following documents:

 1.      Cover Letter: A brief statement of interest highlighting your suitability for the role.

2.      Detailed CV: Including relevant experience, qualifications, and a list of previous evaluations conducted.

3.      Proposed Methodology: A detailed outline of your approach (not exceeding 4 pages) to evaluating the QUARTZ ERASMUS+ Project, including tools, techniques, and timeline.

 Budget

The budget for this external evaluation is € 10,000, including VAT.

This covers the production costs of inception report, interim report and final evaluation report, as well as the costs associated with participating in 2 (two) of the study/training visits in Uzbekistan + final conference (may participate online).

External Evaluator’s working period is from June 1, 2025 to December 30, 2027.

This amount will be paid in three instalments. The first instalment (30%) will be paid after signing the contract, the second instalment (40%) will be paid after delivering the mid-term evaluation report and the third instalment (30%) will be paid after delivering the final report at the final meeting of the project.

Submission Deadline: Applications must be submitted by April 20, 2025 Submission Email: Proposals should be sent to bobir.ergashev@univ-silkroad.uz quality_assurance@univ-silkroad.uz

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria and must be filled in.  Please fill in the following link to qualify for the position. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6UUSNwvzKSSlh2NMt9H69LGKbc9AC6Cjef5PDlJhrulw54w/viewform?usp=dialog    

 1.      Relevance of experience and expertise (50%)

2.      Quality and feasibility of the proposed methodology (40%)

3.      Clarity and professionalism of the application (10%)

Contact Information

For further information or clarification, please contact:

Bobir Ergashev Senior expert

bobir.ergashev@univ-silkroad.uz

quality_assurance@univ-silkroad.uz

+99893 418-20-71

We look forward to receiving your proposals and working together to ensure the success of the QUARTZ ERASMUS+ Project!